On October 11-23, 2025, the Secretary General of the General Secretariat for Formation, Friar Bernardino HOSPITAL POSADA, made a fraternal visit to the formation houses of the Federazione Inter-mediterranea Ministri Provinciali (FIMP) in central and northern Italy.
Friar Bernardino first met with the formation team at the FIMP post-novitiate, which is housed at the Sant’Antonio Dottore Friary (also known as the San Massimo Friary) in Padua, Italy. The friary is a presence of the Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua (Northern Italy). The formation team is comprised of the Rector, Friar Alessandro ZOTTAREL; the Vice-Rector, Friar Fabio TURRISENDO; team member Sister Grazia VITTIGNI (Sisters of Charity of the Holy Cross); and the Spiritual Director, Friar Tullio PASTORELLI. At present, there are eighteen friars in temporary profession in formation. Fourteen of them reside at the San Massimo Formation House and the rest live in other friaries in the Padua area. These friars belong to different Jurisdictions. There are five friars from the Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua (Northern Italy); four from the Italian Province of St. Francis of Assisi (Central Italy); four from the Provincial Custody of St. Bonaventure in France-Belgium; one from the Italian Province of St. Joseph of Cupertino (Adriatic); one from the General Custody of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Italy (Assisi); one from the Provincial Custody of St. Anthony of Padua in Ghana; one from the Provincial Delegation in Portugal; and one from the Provincial Delegation in Chile. In addition to these eighteen friars, there is one friar from the Province of Saints Cyril and Methodius in the Czech Republic who is in Italy to learn Italian. At the start of this formation year, fruitful work is anticipated in a peaceful and orderly community environment. The friars who are permanent residents in the community also contribute to the smooth running of the formation house.
Friar Bernardino met with Friar Roberto BRANDINELLI, the Minister Provincial of the Province of Northern Italy and current President of the FIMP Federation. He also met with Friar Antonio BERTAZZO, the Director of the House of Spirituality in Camposampiero, Italy, and met with other friars to discuss matters concerning continuing formation.
Next, Friar Bernardino visited the FIMP Federation novitiate in Assisi. This community, too, is beginning a new phase, with a new formation team composed of the Novice Master, Friar Federico SANTOLIN (Province of Northern Italy); and the Assistant Novice Master, Friar Jonathan MUTUO (Custody of Ghana). There are currently fifteen novices from various Jurisdictions. There are four novices from the Custody of France-Belgium; one from the General Custody of Assisi; two from the Province of Northern Italy; two from the Province of Central Italy; one from the Italian Province of St. Joseph of Cupertino (Adriatic); two from the Italian Province of the Immaculate Conception (Sicily-Calabria); and three from the Province of St. Jerome in Croatia. Friar Bernardino also met with Friar Francesco SCIALPI, who is the Director of Initial Formation in the Custody of Assisi.
With regard to continuing formation, Friar Bernardino spoke with the Custos of Assisi, Friar Marco MORONI, as well as with the two Guardians who currently coordinate the two ongoing formation centers in the Custody: Friar Emanuele RIMOLI at the Franciscanum, and Friar Lindor Alcides TOFFUL in Rivotorto. Together, they talked about Motion No. 5 from the 2025 Ordinary General Chapter and discussed how to concretely implement it and put it into practice.
Friar Bernardino concluded this first stage of his visit to the FIMP Federation formation houses by spending a few days at the postulancy house in Foligno, Italy. The new postulancy formation team consists of the Rector, Friar Vincenzo Andrea M. ESPOSITO; the Vice-Rector, Friar Rolando CECCARINI; and the Spiritual Director, Friar Gianni CAPPELLETTO. Currently, there are ten postulants in formation, coming from various Jurisdictions. Two are from the Province of Central Italy; three from the Province of Northern Italy; two from the Custody of Assisi; two from the Province of the Adriatic; and one from the Custody of France-Belgium.
These three important formation houses have a total of forty-four friars in initial formation. In addition, there are three postulants from the Province of Our Lady of Montserrat in Spain. Friar Bernardino will visit them soon. In all these formation houses, one sees generous and creative work being done that is responsive to the challenges of our times.
Sincere thanks to the formators and all those involved in youth ministry. May they always be mindful of the importance of the formation period, as indicated in Franciscan Discipleship. May they maintain a healthy balance between pastoral work and evangelization in each of the three centers (Padua, Assisi, and Foligno). May they recognize how important it is to recover the centrality of continuing formation both in daily life and in the specific initiatives that may arise within the FIMP Federation. May they always promote this fundamental requirement of our religious life. Friar Bernardino will soon be discussing this topic with the leaders of the remaining FIMP Federation Provinces, namely, Southern Italy, Romania, France, Spain, Portugal, and Malta.
Friar Bernardino HOSPITAL POSADA
Secretary General for Formation
